Are Antibacterial LED Lights harmful to the human skin?

May 07, 2021

Antibacterial light has been proven against multiple species of bacteria, fungi, and spores, with no degradation of equipment or materials, in high-volume and high-stakes active environments. [2]  These lights use violet-blue light (VBL), a spectrum of light that is harmful to microorganisms initiate a photoreaction with endogenous non-iron porphyrin molecules found in bacterial microorganism [2]…in simpler terms, the light damages the cells of the bacteria using a light wavelength, typically 405 nanometers (nm), that is harmful to the insides of bacterial microorganism.

Candex’s Antibacterial LED Lights have passed the IEC 62471 tests performed by UL/ETL labs. The IEC 62471 Standard is intended to address potential photobiological safety concerns from LEDs by providing a method for categorizing the potential risk to the eyes and skin. You might ask how is the light able to kill germs, but remains harmless to human skin?

To answer this question, we first need to know which lights are harmful to humans are UVC, UV-A, or UVB-C. The key is the wavelength these lights emit. UVA-B has a wavelength between 280 and 400nm, they are proven to cause germicidal activity through protein damage, skin reddening and carcinogenic. UV-C has a wavelength between 260 and 270nm, it possesses peak germicidal wavelength range and can cause DNA damage and mutagenic.

Antibacterial LED on the other hand uses Violet Blue Light to fight germs, VBL is a visible light that is out of the UV spectrum and ranges from 400nm to 420nm wavelength. It is not harmful to humans and pets. In fact, we are exposed to VBL daily when we are under the sun.

 

How VBL kills microbes?

VBL in the 405 nm region excites organic compounds within microorganisms producing a range of reactive oxygen species which causes damage and cell death.  When used at appropriate irradiances, these wavelengths of visible light can also exert antimicrobial effects whilst being non-detrimental to mammalian cells. [1]

Read more about how Antibacterial LED eliminate germs from your home and office space.

 

VBL prevents:

• E.Coli: causes 265,000 illnesses per year in the US.
• Salmonella: causes 26,500 hospitalizations/420 deaths in the US every year.
• MRSA: causes 120,000 cases/20,000 deaths in the US in 2017.
• Staphylococcus Aureus: causes more than 119,000 people to suffer in the US in 2017.
  
  

Germicidal Rates:

  VIEW Antibacterial LED Series

References

1. Tomb, R.M., Maclean, M., Coia, J.E. et al.Assessment of the potential for resistance to antimicrobial violet-blue light in Staphylococcus aureus . Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 6, 100 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-017-0261-5
2. Vito, V. (n.d.). The Efficacy of 405nm Antibacterial LED Light. https://www.pmclighting.com/. https://www.pmclighting.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-Efficacy-of-405nm-Visible-Light.pdf.

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